Onboard controller for multistate windows

• US 8,213,074 B1
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Soladigm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shrivastava, Dhairya, Pradhan, Anshu, Brown, Stephen C., Groechel, David Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US13/049,750
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275, 359/277, 359245-247, 359/242, 345/49, 345/105, 250/70, 348/814, 348/817, 438/929, 349182-186
• US Class Current: 359/275
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6722 with adjustable passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/24 Structural elements or technologies for improving thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/00 Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings

Abstract

Onboard EC window controllers are described. The controllers are configured in close proximity to the EC window, for example, within the IGU. The controller may be part of a window assembly, which includes an IGU having one or more EC panes, and thus does not have to be matched with the EC window, and installed, in the field. The window controllers described herein have a number of advantages because they are matched to the IGU containing one or more EC devices and their proximity to the EC panes of the window overcomes a number of problems associated with conventional controller configurations.

Claims

1. A window assembly comprising:

at least one electrochromic (EC) pane;

a window controller configured to control said at least one EC pane of an IGU of the window assembly; and

a secondary seal of the IGU, which secondary seal incorporates the window controller.

2. The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the window controller is not positioned within the viewable area of the IGU.

3. The window assembly of claim 2, wherein the window controller is positioned outside of the primary seal of the IGU.

4. The window assembly of claim 3, wherein the window controller does not extend beyond the individual panes of the IGU.

5. The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the window controller comprises:

a power converter configured to convert a low voltage to the power requirements of said at least one EC pane;

a communication circuit for receiving and sending commands to and from a remote controller, and receiving and sending input to and from a microcontroller;

the microcontroller comprising a logic for controlling said at least one EC pane based at least in part by input received from one or more sensors; and

a driver circuit for powering said at least one EC device.

6. The window assembly of claim 5, wherein the communication circuit comprises wireless capability.

7. The window assembly of claim 5, wherein the window controller further comprises a redundant driver circuit.

8. The window assembly of claim 5, wherein at least one of said one or more sensors are part of the window controller.

9. The window assembly of claim 5, wherein the window controller further comprises an RFID tag and/or memory.

10. The window assembly of claim 9, wherein the window controller comprises an actively powered RFID tag.

11. The window assembly of claim 9, wherein the window controller comprises a passively powered RFID tag.

12. The window assembly of claim 9, wherein said RFID tag and/or memory is programmed with at least one of the following data:

warranty information, installation information, vendor information, batch/inventory information, EC device/IGU characteristics, an EC device cycle count, and customer information.

13. The window assembly of claim 5, wherein the IGU comprises two EC panes and wherein the logic is configured to independently control each of the two EC panes.

14. The window assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the two EC panes comprises an EC device that is all solid state and inorganic.

15. The window assembly of claim 11, wherein the EC device of each of the two EC panes faces the interior region of the IGU.

16. The window assembly of claim 15, wherein at least one of the EC devices is a two-state EC device.

17. The window assembly of claim 16, wherein both of the EC devices are two-state EC devices and the IGU has two optical states.

18. The window assembly of claim 16, wherein both of the EC devices are two-state EC devices and the IGU has four optical states.

19. The window assembly of claim 18, wherein the four optical states are:

i) overall transmittance of between about 60% and about 90%;

ii) overall transmittance of between about 15% and about 30%;

iii) overall transmittance of between about 5% and about 10%; and

iv) overall transmittance of between about 0.1% and about 5%.

20. An IGU comprising:

at least one electrochromic (EC) pane;

a window controller configured to control said at least one EC pane of the IGU; and

a secondary seal incorporating the window controller.

21. The IGU of claim 20, wherein the window controller is positioned outside of the primary seal of the IGU.

22. The IGU of claim 21, wherein the window controller does not extend beyond the individual panes of the IGU.

23. The IGU of claim 21, wherein the window controller comprises:

a power converter configured to convert a low voltage to the power requirements of said at least one EC pane;

a communication circuit for receiving and sending commands to and from a remote controller, and receiving and sending input to and from a microcontroller;

the microcontroller comprising a logic for controlling said at least one EC pane based at least in part by input received from one or more sensors; and

a driver circuit for powering said at least one EC device.

24. The IGU of claim 23, wherein the communication circuit comprises wireless capability.

25. The IGU of claim 23, wherein the window controller further comprises a redundant driver circuit.

26. The IGU of claim 23, wherein at least one of said one or more sensors are part of the window controller.

27. The IGU of claim 23, wherein the window controller further comprises an RFID tag and/or memory.

28. The IGU of claim 27, wherein the RFID tag and/or memory is programmed with at least one of the following data:

warranty information, installation information, vendor information, batch/inventory information, EC device/IGU characteristics, an EC device cycle count, and a customer information.

29. The IGU of claim 20, comprising two EC panes.

30. The IGU of claim 29, wherein the logic is configured to independently control each of the two EC panes.

31. The IGU of claim 29, wherein each of the two EC panes comprises an EC device that is all solid state and inorganic.

32. The IGU of claim 31, wherein the EC device of each of the two EC panes faces the interior region of the IGU.

33. The IGU of claim 23, wherein the window controller has dimensions of 6 inches by 1 inch by 1 inch, or less, on each dimension.

34. The IGU of claim 23, wherein the window controller has dimensions of 5 inches by ¾

inches by ⅝

inches, or less, on each dimension.

35. The IGU of claim 20, wherein the window controller is positioned outside a primary seal of the IGU.

36. The IGU of claim 20, wherein the window controller is positioned at least partially between the individual panes of the IGU in the secondary seal.

37. The IGU of claim 20, the window controller is positioned around one or more sides of the perimeter of the IGU.

38. The IGU of claim 20, the window controller is positioned along only one side of the perimeter of the IGU.

39. The IGU of claim 20, wherein the IGU comprises a second pane, and wherein the window controller resides entirely between the panes of the IGU.

40. The IGU of claim 20, wherein the controller is incorporated into the IGU, substantially within the secondary seal.

41. The IGU of claim 20, wherein the window controller extends beyond a perimeter of the IGU and into a frame of a window assembly.

42. An window unit comprising:

a substantially transparent substrate having an electrochromic device disposed thereon;

a controller integrated with the substrate in the window unit for providing optical switching control for the electrochromic device; and

a secondary seal on the substantially transparent substrate, which secondary seal incorporates the window controller.

43. The window unit of claim 42, further comprising:

a second substantially transparent substrate; and

a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region that is thermally insulating.

44. The window unit of claim 43, wherein the controller is embedded in the sealing separator.

45. The window unit of claim 42, wherein the controller comprises control logic for directing electrochromic device to switch between three or more optical states.

46. The window unit of claim 42, wherein the controller is designed or configured to prevent the electrochromic device from being connected to in a reverse polarity mode to an external power source.

47. The window unit of claim 42, wherein the controller is configured to be powered by a source delivering between about 2 and 10 volts.

48. The window unit of claim 42, further comprising supply lines for delivering both power and communications to the controller.

49. The window unit of claim 42, wherein the controller comprises wireless communication capability.

50. The window unit of claim 42, further comprising a sensor connected to said controller.

51. The window unit of claim 50, wherein the sensor is a thermal sensor or an optical sensor.

52. The window unit of claim 50, wherein the sensor can detect a broken lead for delivering power to the electrochromic device.

53. The window unit of claim 42, wherein the controller comprises a chip, a card or a board, each including a logic circuit.